Wednesday, 5 August 2015

Under the Church - Under the Church

UNDER THE CHURCH - Under the Church (BLOOD HARVEST - 10"MLP)

Under the Church demo from
2013 was for me personally one of the most awesome and shredding death metal
demo tapes I’ve heard in a long time. And I say this not because the band
features couple of ex-Nirvana 2002 members (Lars Henriksson and Erik Qvick),
although it is very significant, but because I just loved the music. This demo,
with its three superb songs and harsh production, just sounded like something
what was actually recorded back in 1991 and then was just lost in time, until
someone exhumed it in the old, rotten crypt, obviously under the fuckin church.
Oh, I am very glad to own that cassette (signed by Erik, ha – cheers, mate!),
but at the same time I was really looking forward to hear some more stuff from
the band. And that finally came with the release of their self titled mini
album. It came out on CD (on Pulverized) and then Blood Harvest released it on
10” vinyl (on three colours: white, black and red!). And trust me, you have no
other choice, but to grab a copy for yourself, as it is just a brilliant piece
of old school death metal filth!

“Under the Church” contains
seven tracks, including all three songs from the demo (which were re-recorded
obviously). In total we get 21 minutes of the classic Svensk Döds Metall; one
which I am sure that fans of the legendary bands like Entombed, Dismember,
Carnage, Nirvana 2002, as well as newer stuff like Death Breath and Repugnant,
will build the altar and worship! I do! I suppose that mentioning those bands
may be enough to imagine what Under the Church music is like; the band has that
classic sound, with great buzzsaw, low guitars and Boss HM-2 pedal, they do
shred with some killer, aggressive, sometimes slightly crusty riffs and D-beat
and they do also incorporate some more melodic riffs here and there. And yes,
the vocals Mik Annetts do sound a lot of an early LG Petrov haha! And you know
what? I don’t care at all if the music sounds like cover band or however you
want to accuse Under the Church. If you want to be so stupid and accuse them
for copying the old death metal bands, why would I give a shit? For me, what
counts the most, is how fantastic Under the Church music is, how great it
sounds, that it really shreds to pieces and has a gruesome, horror aura all the
way through. The band composed some killer songs and in my opinion they’re the
best reincarnation of the old style, after Death Breath and Repugnant, which
I’ve mentioned above. Don’t agree with me, if you want, I am not bothered. Such
tracks as “Haunted by Demons” (yes, that main melodic theme is fuckin
haunting!), “Macabre Cadaver”, “Back to the Grave” are just a bloody feast… But
all songs vomit with that cemetery filth and slime, which I love, so… it’s just
fuckin awesome stuff. Very, very recommended and an instant classic in my
opinion.